Fear of Flying
by indehed
Summary: (McDanno) Steve had kissed Danny. It had been an unexpected progression of their partnership and yet it also seemed the most natural thing in the world.
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing: Steve McGarrett/Danny Williams**

 **Spoilers: None**

* * *

Steve had kissed Danny.

It had been an unexpected progression of their partnership and yet it also seemed the most natural thing in the world. That Steve had leaned in close, giving Danny time to back up as they breathed the same air for long moments, and then he'd kissed him softly. Danny could feel Steve's smile against his lips and the sag of his shoulders as the tension drained out of them. The kisses became hotter, heavier, hands had wandered underneath clothing and they'd somehow made their way to Steve's bedroom.

Now Danny sat in his usual chair outside.

He'd woken earlier than Steve and just before the dawn. Though it could be argued that he hadn't gone to sleep to begin with and had merely dozed after they'd tired each other out physically. A mixture of his insomnia and what was now, he could concede to himself, a minor freak out over what was happening, had led him to leave the bed to allow Steve to continue sleeping without the nightmares Danny know had plagued him these last years.

He stared at the sky as it began to lighten, listening to the early morning birds as they flitted about and the sound of the waves lazily meeting the shore on a morning with very little wind and even less movement on the water that made it seem idyllic even to Danny's ears. Still, peaceful.

He sighed, head back, eyes straining to see the last of the stars flickering as he contemplated what he and Steve were becoming.

It didn't feel strange. It felt new but only because it was. Steve had never kissed him before, he'd never before seen Steve fully naked, nor had Steve seen Danny that way and now he had a new face of Steve's catalogued. He smiled at the memory. There was certainly nothing bad about any of it and nothing he regretted. He just had to get used to the shift in their status.

What fascinated him more than anything was that his usual apprehensions weren't there. Whatever worst case scenarios he might come up with usually were being banished from his brain and he simply wanted to bask and live in the now and enjoy what they had together. Despite Steve's recklessness, his propensity to get himself shot at and the many times Danny had been at the hospital with him, he didn't worry about those future instances.

It was like…. well, it was like flying. With Steve. Danny had always hated it, worried about it and usually flying with Steve had meant they were in a serious situation and that they were the ones needing to fix it. Bombs, guns, bad guys or even a freshly certified Kamekona - Steve always dragged Danny into the air in a situation he'd really rather not have been in. And yet every time they landed safely. Steve always steered them down without incident. And right now? He felt like he could go flying with Steve and have a good time, knowing he'd land safely.

He'd conquered his fear of flying.

That was how he knew that what he and Steve had become was right for them.

Light footfalls behind him alerted him to Steve's presence so he didn't jump at the feel of hands on his shoulders.

"You okay?" Steve asked, lightly massaging Danny but he stayed behind him in case he wasn't welcome.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"I was worried when I woke and you were gone."

Danny turned his head and looked up at Steve while taking hold of one of his hands and squeezing. "Sorry, babe. I thought you could use the sleep so I came out here."

Steve kept his hand in Danny's as he walked around the chair in a circle before sitting in his own next to Danny's; the small table between them keeping them at a slight distance, but their hands hung between the arms of the chair contentedly loose as fingers remained entwined.

They stayed silent for long moments until Steve asked an uncharacteristically hesitant question. "Did you freak out?"

Danny jutted out his bottom lip and nodded slowly. "Little bit."

"Really?"

Danny shrugged in affirmation but couldn't let Steve think it was anything bad and continued. "Not about us, it was more about me, you know? Not the gay thing, the happy thing. I'm happy. And nothing is spoiling it. It's good, it's nice. I like it. I just had to take some time and savor it, maybe do a little thinking."

"So you and me. This whole thing… no regrets?"

Danny sighed out a breath. "Nope."

Steve's grin split his face and his eyes lit up in almost devilish delight as he stood. "Come here," he beckoned, pulling Danny up from his seat, eyes roaming his torso and smugly noticing the faded Navy SEALs t-shirt Danny had borrowed as their chests collided and Steve wrapped his arms around Danny's back, holding tight. "You feel good?"

"I feel…." Danny paused, considering, as he looked first into Steve's eyes and then beyond him into the sky again where two birds swooped around each other high up near the small flutter of clouds. "I feel like I could fly."

"But you hate to fly," Steve reminded him.

"Not anymore," he lit up, happiness still firmly in place and Steve leaned down to capture his lips in a kiss Danny was already so familiar with and knew he'd never get tired of experiencing.


	2. Chapter 2

Waking alone to an empty and cold bed had caused Steve's heart to sink into his stomach like a stone the size of Oahu itself. His first thought had been that he'd dreamt everything, but immediately he knew the memories and sensations of the night before were all too real, too good, too high in the forefront of his mind and lasting to have been a dream.

His second thought was that he'd been left, abandoned. That Danny had bolted in shame or worry. To have left because he was filled with regret over it, freaking out because he wasn't used to what they had done together the night before.

Danny was never a fan of change and this? This was a change.

Finally being true to himself and what he wanted, to be the Navy SEAL that he was and dive in damning the consequences, had made Steve take the leap the night before and hold out hope.

Kissing Danny was a risk he'd contemplated for a long time, and it had paid off. He was sure of it. Danny had been there; very willing, open, blissed out from what they could pull from one another while in a bed together.

As Steve stood from the bed, unwilling to remain there if things truly had taken a turn for the worse, he padded out to the balcony and leaned on the ledge, taking in a relieved but wary breath as he saw Danny below, sitting in his usual chair wearing nothing but boxer shorts and a t-shirt and probably feeling the slight morning chill.

He was still here, and though they hadn't woken with limbs entwined and with Steve able to take in the sight of Danny's hair in a complete mess, it meant he hadn't run away from Steve. But maybe there was still worry.

Steve's insides flipped around all over the place in a way he wasn't used to. Normally he was steadfast and sure but right now he was torn between the happiness and excitement of what had happened and what he hoped would continue, and the fear of losing it after a first taste.

He was careful in his approach and his words, trying to quell his worry and Danny seemed to see through him and strike the root to keep it at bay.

Danny was happy, he was content and enjoying being able to think about it without the negatives intruding and that made Steve grin so wide he was unable to keep it controlled. His stomach still flopped all over the place, feeling like he was crashing into an oncoming storm and his mind swirled with possibilities both positive and negative. All at once he was seeing images of him and Danny old together and at the same time imagining what life would be like without Danny at his side, lost, gone, dead?

Was this what it was like to be Danny? Assaulted by powerful images and not sure which to follow? When Danny took a plunge it was clearly one that felt like diving off the edge of a cliff unsure of survival but expecting the results to be dire. And yet he did it. He jumped. It showed just how brave he was to do it and Steve felt a new respect for Danny well up, and a strong sense of pride.

Danny was jumping for him. Into him. He would not take that for granted.

As they parted from their kiss, he could feel the slight shiver in Danny's body and he rubbed his back to warm him. "I'm thinking breakfast and then back to bed," he contemplated.

"You're not a 'back to bed' kind of guy normally. You're the guy who goes swimming to China and back. For fun."

Steve nodded solemnly. "I am. Today is no different, I just want to try a different work out," he said then finished on a wink, watching Danny's eyes light up as he followed Steve's train of thought.

"Ah. And here I thought you could never convince me to join you on one of these things. I stand corrected."

Steve leaned down for a quick kiss. "To be fair, I know you're a bigger fan of team sports than anything solo so…."

"Yeah, yeah," Danny slapped Steve's shoulder and pushed him towards the house. "Go make me pancakes. Or you'll know what solo is again in a hurry."

"We wouldn't want that," Steve grabbed Danny's arm and pulled him inside.

"No, we wouldn't want that," Danny agreed.


End file.
